Disney break-ins, burglaries, & thefts?

[CAD3655]

I did have a situation where I didn't pay attention during packing. We were staying at the BWV and were leaving for a week on the Magic. When we got to the ship and were dressing for dinner I realized I had left my makeup case and DH's gold tie tack. The purser contacted the hotel, but nothing was found. When we got back from the cruise we checked back into the BWV and they still never found it.

Who the heck would want someone else's make up? Tie tack I can follow but make up?

 

[CathrynRose]

Theft is a crime of opportunity mostly. I wonder how many times we have all wandered around in a euphoric daze gazing at our favorate sites at WDW and forgotten to keep a close watch on our bags etc...

Living on the East Coast, theft (from offices, homes, cars, etc...) is considered a normal part of life. QUOTE]

I agree 100% - Being from Chicago, it kinda amazes me seeing allllll the bags sitting on strollers, or alllll the women walking around with purses wide open, or alllll the people whom will set their bag, backpack, packages down, to actually turn their body away from those items, to pay for something...



I was raised bordering on paranoid.... I dont know if it's a city thing, or not

Ive turned to my b/f (as he has me, as well) and said "Too bad we're not theives" The opportunity is always availible and quite obvious, at WDW.

 

[Jackie H.]

Our first trip with the kids (so that is 10 years ago more or less), 2 hours up the road toward home my son discovers he doesn't have his pillow. Now, it may have looked like an ordinary pillow...it did have a Thomas the Tank Engine pillow case. But my son had an emotional attachment to this pillow!

When we realized it was gone, I remembered leaving it on the corner of the bed as we were leaving the room. Two kids under 4, luggage, hubby in a hurry...it just happens sometimes. So I called back lost & found at the next stop (before we had cell phones, but my son LOVED this pillow so we couldn't wait). They said it hadn't been turned it yet, but probably the mousekeeper had it. I checked again when we got home....checked several times in the next few weeks.....no one ever saw that pillow!

You ask who would want someone else's makeup....who would want a kid's pillow? Ten years later my son still will not take his bed pillow on a vacation. I always suggest "take your pillow, you will have it in the car and you will sleep better in the motel on your own pillow"....still his answer is, "no, you remember what happened at Disney World!" I guess it scared him for life!

 

[JRawkSteady]

Someone "stole" my sunglasses on my last trip. I had put them down next to me to watch EPCOT Vybe in American Adventure. Someone decided they were lost and picked them up from right in front of me!!! I wasn't really paying attention because I was into the music. When it ended, iI went to pick up my sunglasses and they were gone!! Eventually I went to the merch at the end of American Adventure and someone had returned them...So I'm not sure what happened, but it was definitely taken and returned. Yay for honest people!! Boo for dishonest people...

 

[FigmentGuy]

We didn't have a problem on our vactions either. I hope we will be able to say that for the vacations to come.

 

[PneumaticTransit]

My husband worked at the All Stars and had his checkbook stolen from his truck.

I worked there also and my lunch was stolen out of the fridge a lot. Does that count?

And I would just like to add: Disney does NOT have a copy of the safe keys. The person at the front desk who sees your beautiful diamond ring isn't going to be sneaking in your room and looking in your safe.

 

[Mulan'sMom]

Mine have gone to ferret heaven - but there's nothing like a wet ear in the nose to cheer up your day.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

I had my brand, spanking new car keyed at the AS Sports parking lot once.

I do not take anything flashy or expensive with me that will not fit into my small carryon bag and it does not leave my person, ever. Only essentials, everything else is left at home. I purposely buy inexpensive luggage so as to not attract attention also.

I fear that many of us Disneyholics assume that everyone else at the parks are as nice as we are and let our guard down and then stuff happens.

Slightly Goofy

 

[willis37862]

I fear that many of us Disneyholics assume that everyone else at the parks are as nice as we are and let our guard down and then stuff happens.

Slightly Goofy

Thats exactly what happens. Most people at Disney are nice honest people. But then the dishonest people see that we have our guard down because we feel safe and thats a good chance for them. I hate that! A few bad people ruin it for all the good ones.

 

[krbq]

When you put your valuables in a safe deposit box at the front desk, there are 2 keys. The front desk keeps one, you keep the other (just like in a bank). The front desk has no idea what you put in the box (just like a bank). I usually put my plane tickets, passport and travelers checks in them (not of much value to anyone but me). If you lose your key, a locksmith is called and you pay for the box to be opened. The front desk has absolutely no access to the box without that 2nd key. I've never known a hotel safe deposit box to be broken into (though I am sure it has happened, just not very common).

This is how it worked when we used the safe deposit box at the Beach Club desk, except that I did have to fill out a card describing what I was putting in the box and state a dollar value for the items. I don't think I did a list of everything, but stated something vague like "travel papers and cash", then the CM locked the card in another box with what I assumed were other guests' cards.

 

[miss missy]

In 2003 our group (which included myself, DH, 2 DS then 2.5 and 6 months, and my MIL/FIL) was going to dinner at Le Cellier. I had my hands full with the baby and somehow I left my small purse hanging off the stroller. I realized I didn't have it about 20 minutes into dinner, but it was too late. It ruined the rest of the evening as we tried to track it down, and it wasn't any fun having to spend part of our vacation time filing a police report. I just feel lucky that there was no attempted identity theft since they had my ID and credit/debit cards. They also got $100 in cash, but what really ticked me off is they got $50 in Rainforest Cafe certificates that I'd spent months earning from Mypoints (anyone who does this program will understand). They also got a $25 Cracker Barrel gift card I'd earned from another rewards program. I hope whoever took it gets what they deserve

On our last trip I got a purse that went across my shoulder and I kept it on me at all times. It stinks to have to be so cautious at DW, but like any other place bad stuff can and does happen. Protect yourself!!!

This is why I use a small purse backpack. And I never have more than I need in there. Hands free and dont leave it anywhere. Try one, they work great and are fun too

 

[miss missy]

We didn't have anything stolen, but I did have a situation on our trip in Sep. where I felt lucky that nothing happened. We were staying at Pop Century, and when we arrived using Magical Express, we checked in and went to our room and then headed straight out to Epcot. We didn't come back to the room until 9 or so that night. Our luggage was in the room, but whoever delivered it had so our room had been sitting totally open and unlocked from whenever our luggage was delivered. I was so glad that our room was on the 4th floor, in an out of the way location, because someone could have just opened the door, walked in, and taken all of our luggage and carryons at any point during the day (fortunately we had most of our valuables with us).

WOW !!!!! I see that"left the metal lock from inside across the door jam (I know some people do this when they're carrying things in and out so it won't close and lock)" a lot with the mousekeepers at POP, makes me nervous as heck!

 

[miss missy]

Our first trip with the kids (so that is 10 years ago more or less), 2 hours up the road toward home my son discovers he doesn't have his pillow. Now, it may have looked like an ordinary pillow...it did have a Thomas the Tank Engine pillow case. But my son had an emotional attachment to this pillow!

When we realized it was gone, I remembered leaving it on the corner of the bed as we were leaving the room. Two kids under 4, luggage, hubby in a hurry...it just happens sometimes. So I called back lost & found at the next stop (before we had cell phones, but my son LOVED this pillow so we couldn't wait). They said it hadn't been turned it yet, but probably the mousekeeper had it. I checked again when we got home....checked several times in the next few weeks.....no one ever saw that pillow!

You ask who would want someone else's makeup....who would want a kid's pillow? Ten years later my son still will not take his bed pillow on a vacation. I always suggest "take your pillow, you will have it in the car and you will sleep better in the motel on your own pillow"....still his answer is, "no, you remember what happened at Disney World!" I guess it scared him for life!

Makes me wonder, is it easier for mousekeeping to PITCH these items, than to fill out paper work on them??? never know...

 

[k5thbeatle]

Makes me wonder, is it easier for mousekeeping to PITCH these items, than to fill out paper work on them??? never know...

I don't know what if any paper work needs to be filled out but that is probably an accurate assessment of the problem. It probably is just as easy to throw something away with no real monetary value and go on with your work.

 

[jimmalru80]

DD's ipod vanished from our room at the BC this past August.

 

[delilah]

I had an experience with both honest and dishonest people on a single trip last July. We were staying at GF. One evening, we were going out for dinner, not at WDW, but at an outside restaurant. My SIL discovered when we arrived at the restaurant that she had left her purse in the ladies' room on the first floor, main lobby. We immediately called, and the purse was still in the restroom, and we picked it up on the way back from dinner. My son was not so lucky. We had gone to dinner at Boma. My son brought his gameboy along. The last time I can remember seeing the gameboy was while I was watching the animals outside. My husband took my son to the restroom, and then we left to go back to GF. My husband left us off to park the car, and my son and I stopped at both gift stores at the main building before going back to our room. Somewhere, between outside at AKL and getting to our room, my son misplaced his gameboy. It was labeled with his name and our phone number. We checked for months afterwards and it was never returned. Somebody must have seen him put it down and scooped it right up. Interestingly, the people at lost and found told me that no gameboys at all had been turned in at AKL or GF for the entire month of July!!
I find that implausible, given the popularity of gameboys, but, I suppose it could be. Now, he won't bring his gameboy anywhere we stay overnight. Poor kid.

 

[Simba's Mom]

In over 20 trips to WDW, we've never had any theft or break-ins or known of any. Now that I've read these threads, I feel pretty lucky! DH always insists on bringing his golf clubs in rather than leave them in the rental car. Now I won't accuse him of being overly cautious!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Hmm. Maybe we should re-think bringing DS's GameBoy. The only time he will really play with it is on the plane, and he will have homework that he COULD be doing on the plane.

We brought it last time and it was fine. I guess I could lock it in a suitcase. We are bringing so many it would take FOREVER for somebody to open them all, especially if they are all locked! I don't lock them on the plane, but we do lock them in the room. Strange times we live in. Of course we carry on all of our valuables so nobody will get anything good out of our checked bags at the airport.

Decisions, decisions.

DS left his "passport" on one of the KidCot tables in Epcot but it was there when we went back for it.

We don't own a laptop, an I-pod, or a digital camera and we aren't renting a car or bringing our golf clubs, so that makes me feel much safer! Less stuff to worry over! We use mostly disposable cameras. I put sticky labels on them with our name, resort, and cell phone # because I figure nobody will want a half-used disposable camera. Better chance of having it returned.

The little girl I nanny lost her "blankie" last year at the Ritz in New York City. Her parents called and called when they realized they didn't have it - they never did get it back. I suppose housekeepers do sometimes toss things they find in rooms after guests have checked out.

 

[KeepSwimming]

I think this thread is taking on a morase theme.

Of course everyone should be cautious with their belongings. Walt did everything he could to make WDW the magical place that it is, but reality can sometimes creep in...

Having said that I don't think we should make our kids leave gameboys at home or alter our lives to accomodate "possibilities" that may never come to fruition.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

WE've been very lucky. WE've never even had thigns taken from our stroller. WEll, except for a bird who stole our popcorn, and a squirrel who stole some French fries (he was actually a Universal Studios squirrel) Of course we don't leave anything of real value in there. We've always figured the big mouse was watching over the parks fairly well electronically.

One year when I was a kid, I left my first purse all over the place at WDW. My parents kept most of my money, but I always kept a little in my purse, and each time I got it back with all of the money!

I have heard though that regular Orlando has a fairly high crime rate.